NFPA Journal - Summer 2024 - 34

abandoned their vehicles and sought refuge in the
ocean as the fire rained embers around them. Somewhere
between 2,000 and 3,000 structures, many of
them historic, were destroyed, with property losses
estimated at around $6 billion. The Lahaina fire was
the fifth-deadliest wildfire in U.S. history and the
nation's deadliest wildfire in more than a century.
The day before our tour of Lahaina, I'd sat in on
the daylong symposium that had been organized for
elected leaders, as well as government and fire service
officials, to provide an overview of NFPA resources
that could help them plan for future wildfires. The
resources included Firewise USA®
, NFPA's wildfire
NFPA.ORG/
MAUI
Read more
about NFPA's
Assessing
Structural
Ignition
Potential for
Wildfire course.
Read more
about NFPA's
Certified
Wildfire
Mitigation
Specialist
(CWMS) exam.
Learn more
about NFPA 1,
Fire Code.
Learn more
about NFPA
1144, Standard
for Reducing
Structure
Ignition
Hazards from
Wildland Fire.
Read the
" Lahaina Fire
Comprehensive
Timeline Report "
released
by Hawaii's
Department of
the Attorney
General.
mitigation program for homeowners, as well as NFPA
1, Fire Code, and NFPA 1144, Standard for Reducing
Structure Ignition Hazards from Wildland Fire. The
attendees, many of them county officials with regulatory
authority, seemed keenly aware that something
needed to change on Maui to avoid catastrophes like
the one that occurred in Lahaina, and that laws and
regulations impacting wildfire preparation required
close scrutiny. The group was serious and attentive;
many took copious notes. There was an obvious determination
in the room to absorb as many takeaways
as they could.
A big one was that the wildfires that occurred on
the islands last year, including the Lahaina fire, were
no fluke. By virtue of its climate, topography, flora,
fuel, and human factors, Hawaii is a fire-prone state,
and the risk is increasing. Rain and drought cycles
produce robust amounts of vegetative fuels that dry
out and become highly combustible during drought
conditions. The problem is exacerbated by native
forests that are not adapted to wildfire; indigenous
trees and plants often do not survive or grow back
following fires and are replaced by invasive vegetation
including grasses. Natural ignitions are rare in
Hawaii. HWMO has found that 99 percent of wildfires
throughout the islands are caused by people, either
through campfires, barbecues, fireworks, or ignitions
related to vehicles and equipment. Hawaii's built environment,
with its emphasis on wood construction and
tightly grouped residential development, is prone to
wildfire ignition, while fire suppression and mutual
aid resources are often limited.
That all means that wildfire is a problem shared
by every Hawaiian. A persistent myth addressed
by HWMO in the community is that wildfire is the
fire department's job, which is why much of their
education activities focus on raising awareness that
firefighting is the last line of defense. The front lines
include communities, local governments, informed
planning and building regulations, property owners,
and citizens who recognize the immense threat posed
by wildfire as well as the value of even the smallest
actions to prevent it. Large landowners including
ranchers, foresters, and corporate interests have a
critical role to play in managing tracts of fire-prone
land that can be especially dangerous if neglected or
if they are managed without wildfire in mind.
34 | NFPA JOURNAL * SUMMER 2024
Hawaii's built environment,
with its emphasis on
wood construction and
tightly grouped residential
development, is prone
to wildfire ignition. Fire
suppression and mutual aid
resources are often limited.
As we drove through the ruined streets of Lahaina,
I thought about the massive policy and societal shifts
necessary in Hawaii to prevent this from happening
again. It's easy to be pessimistic. Some will argue that
the topics of mitigation and prevention will receive mere
lip service until the overwhelming pressure to rebuild as
quickly as possible wins out. They'll cite recent examples
of wildfire-ravaged communities that failed to implement
or even consider regulatory steps to improve their
wildfire resistance, perpetuating the burn-build-repeat
cycle that willfully ignores wildfire risk.
But Maui and the rest of Hawaii are showing
signs that change can happen. Programs and other
resources already exist, supported by knowledgeable
and committed people, to move the needle on
wildfire preparedness. Chief Ventura and Chief Todd
have embraced a data-driven, community-based
approach essential to building trust among residents
and creating lasting change. Along with the
HWMO, they've trained hundreds of volunteers
determined to prevent wildfire disasters. I talked
with one couple, Shelly and Dana Aina, HWMO volunteer
wildfire home risk assessors from the island
of Hawaii who've evaluated more than 50 homes
in their village. They work directly with property
owners to identify and remove potential wildfire
ignition risks. " We are only as safe as our neighbors, "
Shelly said. " Wildfire is all around us. It's a
constant threat...our neighbors need to be safe. We
can help them do that. "
On the final day of the trip, after a second ASIP
training on the big island, I recorded an interview
with Chief Todd. As he signed a media release form,
he asked for the date, and I told him it was December
8. I mentioned offhandedly that it was four months
to the day since the winds had kicked up and blown
wildfires across the islands. He signed the form but
continued to look down. Finally he said, quietly, " It's
been a long four months. "
More long months are ahead for wildfire advocates
in Hawaii and for the people traumatized
by the disaster in Lahaina. The demanding tasks
of preparation and recovery will need to continue
side by side. The battle to reduce wildfire risk in
our communities is a difficult, complex struggle,
but for those committed to the effort, there is no
other option except to fight.
TOM LYONS is the director of communications for NFPA.
http://www.NFPA.ORG/
NFPA Journal - Summer 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - Summer 2024
